Lazing around as a goddess in a dungeon!
by iamabadauthor
Summary: I was suddenly entrusted with the task of watching over the city of Orario as a newly appointed goddess. It seemed as if everything was under control though? I ended up lazing around for the majority of the day, though it's gotten pretty boring lately. Maybe I can find some fun on the side by starting my own familia…
1. Chapter 1 - Descent

My eyes opened. I got up with a curious expression and looked around, finding myself in a pure white space. I got up and stretched a bit, walking across the reflective surface of the floor. A few locks of silver hair blocked my view of myself, but I pushed them aside and looked at my reflection.

Light pink eyes and a cute face framed by silver hair stared back. My face and figure reminded me of an innocent younger sister type character, one that people would protect no matter the cost.

I couldn't help but form a weird expression on my face as I envisioned all the deities I was finally able to admire after arriving in this physical plane again. Before I knew it, my thoughts got more and more perverted. I couldn't help the blush that formed on my face…

"Stop smiling like that, it's disgusting."

A voice startled me out of my thoughts. I felt eyes burning into my back as I slowly turned around with more confidence than I felt.

A tall and sturdy man stood behind me, placing a hand on my right shoulder. I must have jolted a foot off the ground at the sudden contact. My eyes snapped upwards past his well-built body and to his face.

He looked a bit older than I did, maybe around 25 years old. Despite his soft dark hair and sharp features, he carried himself with stoicism you find mostly in grizzled old men. He watched me disapprovingly, most likely witnessing my embarrassing earlier actions.

I was staring right into the face of Erebus, one of the supreme gods and the one who had just summoned me. Despite how much he acted like I was a bother, I always thought we'd been together for far too long it was hard not to get attached to each other.

Despite myself, I stumbled forwards, bringing him into my arms as if he was five times more precious than the grumpy god he was. He always said he hated my hugs, but in my mind he was only pretending. He never bothered to fight me off after all.

His eyes flashed at me venomously. Oh- awkward. I swallowed. I've been alone for far too long was hard to interact normally with people again. 'I-I'm sorry about that, master-." I started.

"What the hell!? Myu, don't call me that!" He clicked his tongue and squinted his eyes at me. He had such a childish way of speaking it clashed with his strict appearance. I had to suppress a giggle.

His arm grabbed hold of my shoulders, pushing me a fair distance away and studying me carefully. He looked so effortlessly gorgeous I felt my knees go a little weak. From this close, I had no problem admiring his sharp, deep eyes. There was no hiding the flush on my face now. It was no wonder master was one of the more popular gods in heaven.

"Erebus?" I internally cringed. When I was nervous, my voice always turned into this meek, pathetic thing.

"Erhm." He cleared his throat awkwardly, before letting out a long inhale if ready to begin a long speech. My ears pricked. I guess master had something important to tell me this time.

"It's about Zeus."

I jumped slightly at the name. I had known Zeus to be an ambitious yet amicable god from my time with him, but master wasn't too fond of my interactions with the king of gods.

"His familia was recently destroyed, and he was cast out from Orario by the others." Erebus seemed to delight in these words.

I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing. Zeus couldn't just get wiped out like that. He seemed powerful, invulnerable even when he descended to the lower realm. It sounded like a batch of half-baked lies, but master never lied. Was the dungeon really producing such strong monsters that it threatened the gods living in the lower realm?

"I've put up with Ouranos' complaining for far too long. Apparently, Loki's the only one who is making any progress descending the dungeon." The words came out matter of factly. I didn't like where this was headed...

"You currently have the strongest blessing out of all of us, so you've been selected as the newest god that will descend. It's also nice to have someone representing me down there."

What? I opened my mouth to protest the work thrown onto my shoulders but decided against it. Erebus glared at me, a silent threat that foreshadowed what was to come if I dared complain. I had to settle for jutting my lip out and scowling at him angrily. Was I really just a servant to him? Didn't I get to have a say in this?

I looked away. Getting to explore the lower realm was perfectly fine, but perhaps he could give me some wiggle room when it came to dealing with the dungeon. If I could just push my duties onto someone else...

"Don't even think about running away."

"..."

...

For the past hours, I had sprawled on my bed and poured over the details of the new world I would be entering. It was known as Gekei by the gods and goddesses there, the 'lower world'. It was mostly thought of as a vacation spot by most deities, but the situation appeared to be much worse than it appeared.

Ever since the Zeus' familia was wiped, the dungeon had become increasingly harder and harder for Ouranos to control, to the extent where he had to ask Erebus for help. Strong monsters were constantly threatening to come to the surface, so gods were encouraged to create familias and "explore" the dungeon killing the monsters in the process. Since gods were not allowed to use their divine power once they descended, exploring was completely reliant on the adventurers who received a powerful blessing in return for devotion.

"Are you still here? Shouldn't you have left by now?" Erebus called from beside my bed.

I didn't respond, much to his disapproval. I felt like hissing at the uninvited visitor and sudden light that invaded my room. I was still angry at him, so screw listening.

"Myu!" He tried again, reaching over to pull the blanket wrapped around me. I was physically weaker than him, but that didn't stop me from using my magic to firmly nudge him away.

"Get up!"

"No!" I said childishly in defiance.

"Yes!" I could feel him trying to drag me off the bed, so I pulled back harder, using my legs to push him away. It didn't work as intended. Erebus instead grabbed one of my legs and dragged me off the bed.

"Y-you!" I stood up to face him. He was leaning against my bed frame with an impish grin on his face, as if seeing me fall amused him. I tried to scowl harder than I already was.

It wasn't like I asked to be driven out like this. I didn't want to leave this plane at all. In a final act of defiance, I slapped master's ass as hard as I could before skittering off, summoning a beam of pure light that would take me into the lower realm.


	2. Chapter 2 - Hestia, Bell, & the Dungeon

My feet softly touched the ground of an alley. Despite what I expected, there was no off putting stench. Were even the alleys this well maintained?

Orario was a splendid city bustling with life. Medieval style buildings that reached many floors, inns and merchant shops dotting the streets below, and pedestrians all busily going about their daily lives. From what I could discern as I walked down the street, the majority of the races occupying the city were either humans, elves, or some sort of animal/human mix.

My blissful state of peace came to an abrupt and undesirable stop. I had been on a roll, happily walking around the city and taking in the sights, but the moment had been ripped clean in two when I felt someone's intent stare at me.

I closed my eyes for a moment before glaring at the offender. Curious black eyes stared back. Then, as if ashamed of what he had done, the human looked away and continued walking down the road. I gave him a stiff upper lip, before letting out a defeated sigh. I was wearing yet another one of my favourite outfits, something the creator had gifted to me. A black uniform, with white highlights decorating the edges, alongside a skirt just dangling past my knees. I thought it was cute, but the outfit just didn't seem to fit in with what the locals wore.

I hid my hands in my sleeves, bunching up wool nervously. There was a burning malevolent feeling in my heart like I had accidentally wandered into somewhere I wasn't supposed to go. I wouldn't admit it, but master was basically my only friend and source of social interaction. I tried to look more confident then I felt, but I couldn't help but feel very small and alone.

Although it was stressful just walking down the streets of Orario, there was something else that was bothering me far more. According to Ouranos, gods weren't allowed to use their divine powers or anything. So I was effectively forced to live like a mortal for the time being.

There was no use worrying for now. At least I had devised a plan.

Hmm? Don't get me wrong. It wasn't anything clever. I just hoped to encounter another god and beg them to take me in. I had no qualms with shamelessly leeching off someone else's hard work in order to survive. At least this way I wouldn't have to worry about my living situation.

...

I stared at the Tower of Babel in front of me. As the name implied, it was a large tower stretching to the heavens, built to contain the monsters below. It was at the center of Orario, giving quite a strong impression as it loomed over the the residents of the city, a permanent reminder of the deities who now resided with them.

Walking inside, the building opened up to a large public space filled with residents waiting in line for the many over the counter trading desks. I felt perfectly giddy walking towards one of the receptionists. I had never experienced something like this before, but that was okay, wasn't it? I would finally get something other than the peace and quiet I was always used to in heaven.

"Excuse me, would you mind stating your intentions here?" Came a strict and businesslike voice.

I froze on the spot, going rigid all over. I slowly focused my eyes on the receptionist, who was looking at me impatiently. I had only just noticed the pointed ears at the side of her head.

"U-um, I'm just here to request a meeting with Ouranos-" I tried confidently, but I could hear the tremors in my voice. I was always so nervous when it came to talking with strangers.

"Miiiiisssssss Einaaaa!" A surprisingly cute voice startled me out of my thoughts.

"Bell!" The receptionist elf in front of me visibly brightened, looking past me to wave at the newcomer rushing into the building. I turn around in order to sneak a peek at him.

Red eyes, pale skin, and a surprisingly childlike face. Oh no. I begin to feel a little bit more alert. Was that Zeus' grandson I had heard so much about? I blink slowly as I continue to stare at him, realization burning through my veins. His features were soft, much softer than Zeus, but the resemblance was still there.

I blink as he comes closer. He's covered in blood.

...

Eina, the elf, had long since finished scolding Bell for his unhygienic appearance and forced him into one of the private guild rooms. I was currently seated in the waiting area, thinking carefully. Even though I was supposed to be resting, I could feel my mind racing a million miles an hour. The more my mind wanders, the more I remember that I really, really needed to find somewhere to stay.

Zeus had always been one of my favorite gods, always looking out for me and giving me a shoulder to lean on. It was time to repay the favour by helping him in his time of weakness, or rather, his grandson. Maybe I could give him one of my stronger blessings? Besides, If I went with Bell, I could leech of him for the time being I'd perhaps suggest I was his long lost sister. We certainly had a similar hair colour...

Unfortunately, my alertness also made the boredom of waiting so much more unpleasant. I wiggle around in the chair, hoping to find a more comfortable position. It's not very pleasant, but it's better than nothing.

The elf receptionist is now helping out another adventurer in that semi-polite, courtly way of hers. I drown her out - it's only making me more impatient.

What if he doesn't come out at all? What if he already left? Instead of waiting for him to come back, I could just go to him. It's bold of me to think of doing something like this, but I'm past caring.

"Where are you going?"

I ignore the words of the receptionist and run for the guild's private rooms. I close my eyes, desperately sensing for Bell's aura as If I were a dog following the scent of its owner. It pulls me towards a room barred by a thick, heavy looking door, firmly shut.

I beeline towards it quickly as I am able, because rapidly approaching footsteps tells me the receptionist isn't too far behind. My mind flits to my earlier awkward meeting with the receptionist. I'm pretty sure getting caught is something I would very much like to avoid.

I scramble inside the room, albeit barely, and close the door behind me. It isn't very spacious, but there's plenty of room to move around.

"Eh?" My head whips around at the sound of Bell's voice, and I find him standing just next to me, seemingly in the middle of changing.

I hadn't anticipated to get as close as I had. His eyes were bewitching, a nice color of red, while his lips were open in a cute expression of surprise.

It was a different type of cute from my own; if I seemed like a mischievous sort, Bell had more of a gentle and tranquil look to him. His short, silvery locks framed his face perfectly, accenting his handsome features and bringing out the color of his eyes.

He had probably been about to pull his pants down in order to shower, because they were halfway past his thighs. He froze his movements probably because of my sudden intrusion, leaving very little to imagination.

"..."

For several seconds, we stared at each other.

This is totally wrong, you know? I didn't expect to catch him at this moment. How was I supposed to get out of this situation?

I could feel pressure rushing towards my face and ears. Something was leaking out of my nose. Was that blood?

"Nooooooooooooooo!"

Alongside an ear piercing scream, I receive a slap directly to my face and collapse right on the spot.

...

I grumpily sat on a bench outside the tower, still stinging from how I was treated. Eina had roughly dragged me outside, threatening to have me fined for trespassing. I let out a defeated sigh. It was getting really late outside. The sky was orange with the setting of the sun, the harsh rumble of the crowd slowly giving way to the muted conversations of people enjoying their evening outside.

I let out a defeated sign. My cheek was still stinging from the earlier slap and I wanted to disappear into the hole I came from. It wasn't anything to do with Orario, of course. I just wasn't much for the field and relied on Erebus completely for my accommodations back home. I wasn't meant for this, yet I was here and completely alone.

A flash of white suddenly passed by me. Was Bell's meeting with the elf finally over? Reacting in an instant, I rose and quietly trailed behind him, careful not to be too conspicuous. I hesitantly touch my cheek, dreading the moment I would have to reveal myself as that weird girl who peeked on him right before the shower.

Bell finally left the crowded main path, hurriedly dashing through a smaller back road and finally entering a section of the city that seemed as if a dragon had torn through it. The buildings were more rundown, some of them collapsed entirely, with moss growing through the shattered windows. He finally stopped outside what looked to be an abandoned church, which looked just as shabby as the buildings around it. At least this one was still standing properly…

Bell made his way inside, disappearing behind an altar at the back of the church. Waiting till he was gone, I timidly walked in. It felt weird following someone home like this. I hid my hands inside my sleeves, feeling incredibly anxious.

I made my way to the altar, turning the corner to enter what seemed to be a storage room.

A floorboard creaked under my feet, making a harsh sound easily discernible from the silence of the church. A bead of sweat rolled down my head. He definitely would have heard that one…

…

Fried potatoes are much more appealing than one would think. Large cream filled potatoes that were deep fried and served with an incredibly tasty seasoning. This was definitely horrible for you, but I didn't care. My eyes glittered as I found a whole new world - fried potato snacks. I could almost forget the awkward stares of Bell and the goddess Hestia who were still in the room with me.

Bell's warily sneaking a few peeks at me, no doubt remembering the shower incident earlier today. At least Hestia had convinced him I was just another friendly god. I'm pretty cute and non-threatening, after all!

"Myu-" Hestia looked at me questioningly. "Why did you decide to descend now? Didn't Erebus always keep you at home?"

I glance at her, my checks still puffed out and filled with potato. Hestia had been one of my favourite goddesses. And then there was the matter of bringing me food. I would return this favour somehow.

"Uh - I just wanted to come down for fun. M-master told me how everyone always loved Orario." It wasn't that I didn't trust them, but...

Hestia pulled a face. It seemed like she didn't buy my story, but thankfully didn't press further.

"So, Bell's part of your familia?" I mumbled between bites, eager to divert the conversation towards more comfortable territory.

"Yeah!" Hestia replied. "It was a perfect match. He had already been rejected so many times by other gods." She smiled, a faraway look in her eyes.

While being fed, I had almost forgotten my purpose of coming here. Perhaps I could just ask her if I could stay the night, and not bother with the formalities.

"Sooo, can I stay here the time being?"

"No. Can't you just book a room in an inn?"

"But I don't have any money yet!" I whined, crawling behind Bell in order to escape Hestia's line of sight. I couldn't help but my nose close to his hair. He smelled kind of nice; like road dust and clean sweat...

"Are you sniffing him?" Hestia looked disgusted. "Didn't think I would notice, huh?"

I wanted to strangle Hestia for calling me out like that. I could feel heat rising to my ears.

"Shut up!" I mumbled angrily, turning around to scold her, but I suddenly realized the position I was in. I had no money or home for the time being, so I was completely reliant on Hestia.

Angering my possible benefactor would be a bad idea. Instead, I decided to abruptly change the topic.

"I just came down to the lower realm today. Please, let me stay with you?" I pleaded, looking at her desperately.

Maybe my actions earlier today were a bit too much. I'm sorry, but please let me apologize. I looked at her with a gaze filled with these thoughts…

"...Ok." She averted his eyes with a troubled expression.

...

I sprawled over Bell, casually rolling back and forth on the couch in an attempt to find a more comfortable position.

It was now early morning. I took advantage of Bell's obliviousness to cuddle with him last night, but to be truthful, I didn't really need to sleep. With nothing to occupy myself with, I decided on preparing breakfast.

I turned towards the pantry, which was barely hanging together. There were only a few plates and … some fried potato puffs?

...

"... What the heck are you doing?" Bell's tired voice resounded as he slowly roused from slumber, blinking his eyes sleepily.

I looked up from the plate of fried snacks. "Never had something so… addicting before." I spoke between mouthfuls.

His brows crinkled. "But those were Hestia's snacks..."

"I-" I tried to explain myself, but it seems like Bell wasn't finished.

"It's fine. I'll just buy some more after coming home from the dungeon."

I perked up a little. Dungeon diving already? Maybe I could tag along and see what the excitement was all about.

...

"-and so you trade the monster crystals for valis."

I was currently listening to Eina, who was giving a lecture on the basics of dungeon exploring. Upon defeating a monster, you received a magic stone, and loot drops if lucky. These could be exchanged at the guild for valis, the currency of this world. According to Eina, a magic stone dropped by a goblin was worth 1200 valis. Since a meal cost around 50 valis, these magic stones were quite valuable.

Usually, an adventurer travelled with others to collect magic stones and drop items. But since it could get quite hectic inside and because the stones were so valuable, it was worth it to hire at least one supporter to accompany you inside the dungeon. It was a perfect role for me to fill, at least for now.

"Bell, I've decided."

"Eh?"

"I'll be your supporter in the dungeon!" I announced proudly with a smile. "I'm perfect for the role!"

Hearing this, Eina butted in.

"Aren't you being a bit too hasty? The dungeon is filled with monsters who wouldn't hesitate to kill you. A good supporter would come prepared and ready for what the dungeon might throw at them." She eyed my clothes distastefully, evidently not keen on me being with Bell. "Not to mention, you're not even equipped properly to support others properly. I'm banning you from the dungeon until then."

...

The meeting with Eina was over. As we walk outside the tower, I promptly grab Bell's hand and drag him into a shady alley.

"Uhh.. where are we going?"

"To the dungeon. Watch this." With that, I turned to the wall… abracadabra~! The space in front of me rippled, revealing a portal leading straight to the dungeon entrance.

Startled, Bell backed away. I couldn't blame him for being cautious, but he just had to trust me. I pulling him with me, I jumped straight into the portal, 

"What was that?..."

We had landed straight in the middle of the first floor of the dungeon. Getting up and dusting himself off, Bell squinted his eyes at me suspiciously.

"Ah… this… um." Oh crap. Did Ouranos even allow gods to do this? Wait... were those goblins being birthed out of the dungeon walls? A perfect distraction!

It seemed Bell noticed too. Getting into a defensive position in front of me, he faced the crowd of eight goblins slowly walking towards us, holding his ground in order to prevent them from reaching me.

...

The dungeon was seemingly alive, spawning kobolds and goblins at regular intervals. It reminded me of a giant maze, full of dead ends, intersections, and forks.

I acted like a true supporter for Bell. While he dispatched the monsters with a short dagger, I would watch from a safe distance, helping him only when needed. I didn't want to leech him of any experience. From what I learned, adventurers gained experience from killing monsters, gaining stat boosts and possibly even a level up.

"... All right." Bell panted as he plunges his dagger into the last goblin, finally finished dispatching a group of eight monsters.

I run up to the dead goblin, collecting the magic stones as the bodies crumble into dust. These stones can be used for many things, such as being able to provide a steady source of energy for lamps, stoves, and refrigerators. As they could be sold to the guild, these stones were the main source of income for adventurers like Bell.

The weaker the monster was, the smaller the magic stone. Stronger monsters appeared in the lower floors of the dungeon, and dropped much more valuable stones and loot. Though the goblins were the weakest, they tended to stick together in groups and could overwhelm even veterans with their sheer numbers. Now that I think about it...

"Are you really just a normal level one adventurer?" Bell had no trouble taking out dozens of monsters with relative ease. As far as I knew, adventurers usually traveled in small groups, but today I didn't need to step in to help at all. His fierce look while fighting didn't match his face and gentle personality at all, not to mention the small traces of divine power I sensed inside his body, which flared brightly while he was fighting.

"Yeah." He replied, evidently happy at the implied praise. Though this couldn't hide the more serious look on his face. "Myu, we should head up and call it a day. The dungeon seems to be way more active than normal."

That's right. We had been down here for quite a while. "Fuahhh~." I stretched, glad to be leaving. "Good work for today, Bell!"

"Same to you." He replied while smiling sheepishly.

Hehehe… That response really sent my heart racing. The image of him, holding his hand out, with a smile just meant for me…

I take a deep breath and slap my cheeks.

"Are you ok?" Bell asked worriedly. "You're really flushed. Do you have a fever or something?" He put his palm on my forehead.

"Eh?"

"You're really hot. You really are burning up inside."

"Ah, n-no, I'm fine, you're just... " I trail off, mumbling the last few words.

"What are you mumbling about? Let's go home."

...Bell really is dense. Well, if he's like this to everyone, it's fine, I guess.


	3. Chapter 3 - Hostess of Fertility

**Bell Cranell**

Level One

Strength: I-82 → H-121

Defense: I-13 → I-43

Utility: I-96 - H-140

Agility: H-172 → G-226

Magic: I-0

I was currently back at the church, reading the paper that showed Bell's stats.

"Um... Goddess. Are you sure this is right?" Bell was currently reading his stats. "I only got hit once today, but my defense stat went through the roof!"

"..."

"Goddess? Goddess?"

'Hmph!" Seemingly in a bad mood, Hestia walks up to the closet, pulling out her uniform before walking to the door.

"I have something to do for my part-time job. Have fun spending the rest of the day _by yourself_!" Stomping past him to the exit, she slammed the door so hard the church shook.

Apparently, Bell had received a new skill called Liaris Freese after being saved by Ais Wallenstein, a famous level five adventurer. In order to repay her, he had vowed to close the strength gap between them. The skill Liaris Freese would increase the speed of his growth as long as his feelings for Ais lasted.

"Geez, really Bell. Looks like she's in a bad mood!" I grinned lecherously at him.

"..." Bell looked confused and crestfallen, like a child scared by their parent's anger.

Hoping to cheer him up, I hugged his back, smiling reassuringly.

"Don't worry about that! Since we made so much money in the dungeon today, I'll let you treat me to a meal! You won't let me down, right Bell?~"

"Ehh. I guess it's fine." He scratched his head awkwardly.

...

By the time we got ready, the sun was slowly setting. Adventurers roamed the area, enjoying the hustle and bustle of Orario's nightlife. Bell and I were currently roaming main street, looking for a well-known pub, the Hostess of Fertility.

Apparently, Bell had met one of the serving girls there, who made him promise to come to eat here tonight.

"... This should be it." Bell pulled on the sleeve of my shirt, dragging me to a large two-story building made of stone. An enticing aroma gathered at the entrance.

Woah. The place was packed full. Bell wasn't kidding when he said it was popular!

"Bell?" A serving girl with gray hair greeted him. A nametag on her apron identified her as Syr. "Welcome!"

We follow her inside, heading towards a corner seat.

"Please be seated. Just tell me when you're ready to order!" She winked at Bell, causing him to blush.

Oh, are you embarrassed already, Bell? To be fair, it wasn't hard to fluster him.

Despite how late it was, customers still entered the pub in a steady stream. Bell had ordered a large plate of pasta, which I quickly nabbed and began eating. What? I was hungry and couldn't help myself!

"Hey Bell, you're really don't want any?" I asked him with my mouth stuffed full of food. "I don't mind feeding you if you want." I held out my fork at him.

"I-I'd like to pass on that…"

Bell politely declined. Ugh, how disappointing.

"You don't have to mind it so much, you know? You treated me for today, so I'd like to pay you back~"

"Um… in that case-" As he was about to respond, our conversation was interrupted by a wave of commotion near the front of the bar.

"Hey...isn't that Ais!?" Waves of awe echo through the crowd as a blonde girl walks inside the bar.

"Ooooh!"

"Hey, that's the Loki Familia!"

Bell suddenly flinches in his seat upon their arrival, staring intently at Ais, who walks by us towards a large dining table.

"B-Bell?" I tried calling out to him, but it was no use. His attention was focused entirely on her.

The Loki Familia really did look impressive. Instead of just a human composition, I noticed an elf, a werewolf, two amazons, and even a dwarf.

I grinned at Bell, who was still staring at them.

"You're really interested in Ais, aren't you?"

"Um, yeah, I know it seems that way, but…"

"Exactly. You're in love with her!" I teased him playfully.

"N-no! I mean she's my type but…"

"So wait, are you perhaps, actually in lov-"

"Stop! I don't want to talk about this now! Let's finish the meal and leave." Bell started eating, forcefully putting an end to my accusations.

"Hey, Ais! Tell us that one story!". Someone from the Loki Familia calls out, his voice ringing clearly across the room.

"Yeah, you know, the one where you hunted down the minotaur that escaped the seventeenth floor and was about to kill tomato boy!"

Bell suddenly stiffens in his seat, clenching his fists tightly, looking embarrassed.

That day I first met him… he was covered in blood. Were... they talking about him?

"It's weak adventurers like him that give us a bad name. Trash is trash! You shouldn't have wasted your time on him!".

"Bete, are you drunk?" someone from his familia asks him, but the gray-haired werewolf continues, uncaring.

"I don't understand why you even saved him? Did he catch your fancy? If that boy came up and told you he liked you, would you accept him?" He pauses, a nasty smile slowly forming on his face.

"Of course you wouldn't! A weak kid like him who's so nauseating to be around could never be with you! There's no way you would return his feelings!"

Bell stands up slowly, turning away from me so I can't see his expression, but his posture makes him look so weak and alone. His body trembled. He definitely knew what the beastman was talking about.

I couldn't take this anymore. Couldn't he see how much Ais' opinion meant to Bell?

"But really! It's been so long since I saw someone so pathetic, so-"

Raising my hand, I forcefully blasted him out of the bar.

Hahaha! Take that annoying wolf dude! He'd landed on his butt just past the door, looking at me with huge surprised eyes. I wasn't done yet! I wanted to thoroughly punish him for hurting Bell.

Angrily walking over to him, I held my palm up and closed my fist, as if tightly gripping something. Similarly, Bete's body floated up as if it had been grabbed by a large, invisible hand. Acting quickly, before his familia could come to the rescue, I dropped Bete, who was now cursing me with profanities, into a garbage bin outside the door of the bar, closing the lid on top of him.

"Hmph!" I exclaimed with a pleased expression, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Who's the trash now! Right Bell?"

"...Bell?!"

Bell was nowhere to be found.

...

I was currently running around the streets of Orario, asking bystanders if they say Bell.

A kind looking man with dark blue hair motioned to me, and I ran right over in an instant.

"Did you see someone with white hair run past here?!" Too panicked for formalities, I grabbed the man by the shoulders and shook him back and forth.

"Yes…" He replied.

Guiding me by my shoulders, he turned me around and pointed to the tower of Babel looming threateningly in the distance.

...

The presence of the dungeon was becoming much stronger. I didn't notice it much on the earlier floors, but as I descended deeper and deeper in search of Bell, I felt it was much more suffocating than before.

"Die, die, die…" Each time a monster lunged at me, I pierced it with a column of air, or squeezed it until it dissipated into dust, dropping a magic stone on the floor.

How many floors had I descended now? I lost count. The dungeon constrained me until I could barely feel any of my aura, much less sense for Bell. If this continued, I would have to start using my divine powers just to stay here.

The walls around me kept shifting around, closing behind me, forcing me to go deeper.

Another monster had spawned in front of me, but this time it had a goatlike head with a glinting purplish exoskeleton. Unlike the other ones, I somehow wasn't able to squeeze it until it disintegrated, so I opted for a more brutal way of combat.

Holding out my palm, I aimed and sent a fast flying spear of air hurtling right into it. Yes! A direct hit!

"Huh?..."

Too fast for me to react, the monsters tail suddenly pierced into my body, lifting me through the air and smashing me into the dungeon wall. I gasped. It felt like my side was on fire. I coughed once, tasting blood.

I tried standing up, but it felt as if my entire body was broken. This was bad. The dungeon was continuously draining my energy. If I died here, I didn't know the consequences it would have on my actual body.

Seeing an opportunity, the monster rushed right towards me, but this time I was ready. Not taking any chances, I brought all my remaining power to bear, blasting at him with a beam of white light. A deafening boom split the air around me, as the dungeon walls in a 30 meter radius disintegrated from the pressure.

"..."

The smoke cleared, and the monster was gone.

Phew! I was almost out of energy, and the dungeon's aura made it hard to recharge quickly. It was probably in my best interest to head back and hope I had somehow passed Bell along the way.

"Hu-" Something shifted right behind me, and I felt a heavy ram me in the back, sending me barreling across the floor and gasping for air.

As I lay on the floor, the thing came at me again, but I was completely helpless this time.

My blood smeared streaks across the ground. I couldn't process what was going on, only that my body was being continuously battered around.

Oh no... If Bell met one of these things, he would be in trouble. I desperately extended my aura outwards, trying to sense for him.

….

...

There! He was kilometers above me, on an upper floor. Using the last of my power, I willed a portal outside Hestia's church and blasted him in.

I felt lightheaded. I was smashed into the ground once again, but I couldn't even feel the pain. Instead, it seemed to be coming from a long ways off…

...

"...es.." Huh?

"..u, i..iot" Oh Someone was mumbling near my ears.

I shifted around, eyes still closed, but smiling. I felt so safe with their presence near me. I held my arms out and and reaching out blindly, I managed to grab something soft. Pulling it towards me, I nuzzled it with my head, before grinning and falling back asleep.

...

When I woke up, I found myself on a large bed, squished between the wall and something that was holding me firmly. I turned around, finding myself face to face with someone who I was very familiar with.

My creators face looked cute as ever, though his soft hair was tousled beyond recognition, making it seem like he was stressed out about something.

I lept on his body, pressing myself onto his legs, but not saying anything.

"...What is it?"

He sat up, looking displeased. But his face was filled with an emotion I rarely got to see; relief. Normally I wouldn't get to enjoy this kind of relaxing, comforting atmosphere around him.

"H-hey." I nervously greeted him. I knew he wasn't happy about this.

"...You know you almost died in the dungeon right? I had to spend lots of resources saving you and repairing the damage."

"A-ah… thank you."

A period of awkward silence elapsed, before he continued further.

"Why didn't you use your divine power to save yourself? It would have saved me the trouble of dragging you back here."

"Oh, really? I thought I wasn't allowed to..." I looked at the ground, dejected.

"I shouldn't complain that you took my words so seriously, but… Haaaa…" Letting out a sigh, he leaned back against the wall.

"You should prioritize your safety, ok?"

Wow! This was one of the rare times he showed me any signs that he cared at all. I couldn't let this pass.

"Ah-hah! I knew you cared! You were watching me the whole time, weren't you?"

"You're annoying. Don't get the wrong idea, you idiot. You're too expensive to be damaged in any way."

The god looked like he was fuming, very similar to a child that didn't get his way.

"Ahaha~ getting so embarrassed. You're so cute." I couldn't help but tease him some more.

"T-thats not the case! You're wrong!" He looked flustered, but coughed and attempted to get the conversation back on track.

"A-anyways, you know that gods aren't supposed to enter that deep into the dungeon right? Something in there has a deep grudge against Ouranos and his kind."

He suddenly looked pleased, as if thinking of something.

"Why don't you create a familia and have them act under you? This way you won't be exposed to as much danger."

"...If you put it that way, I guess it's a good idea." I replied, hesitant.

"Still… what was that thing that totally destroyed me? It totally outclassed all the high level adventurers I met recently, even Ais. If that thing comes up, isn't humanity totally doomed?"

The creator god gazed at me worriedly.

"It was a juggernaut, created by the dungeon itself for the sole purpose of killing you. It can only exist for a temporary period of time because of how much energy it uses, so you don't have to worry about it coming to the surface."

He looked at me directly before continuing.

"Anyways, it only happens if the dungeon is worried strongly about something. I wouldn't get too wrapped up in one of these incidents, since even if you die, I can reform you and send you back. Now get back and go form your familia. I've saved all the high tier magic stones you can exchange for money". He spread out a dozen bag overflowing with magic stones of various sizes.

"Oh really!" I perked up, pleased know I would at least have some money now. The stones were all of high quality, and from my past experience trading stones with Bell, I knew each one was worth at least 75,000 valis. There had to be at least ten thousand in total!

"Woah~ Thank you!" I lept at the god, hugging him in pure joy.

"It's fine. Now go, get out of here and stop pestering me." He replied, struggling out of my grasp.

Oh, right. I should head back and see if Bell was alright. Now that I was used to it, I could feel his aura just fine, so I wasn't too worried. I gathered all the bags into a large pile, before stepping inside a portal that would take me back to the lower realm.

...

It turned out my magic stones were of exceedingly high quality, which meant after I sold them all to the adventurer's desk, I walked away with a sum of 400 million.

Using my newfound wealth, I had someone buy me an existing mansion near the Apollo familia after paying the owner exorbitant sum of 200 million valis. I wasn't too worried about valis, since it seemed like strong monsters were worth 100k each. Once my familia was established, it wouldn't be hard to start earning much more.

As for my familia members, I asked around, hoping people would be interested, but considering I was a relatively unknown goddess, nobody would join, no matter how much I begged.

By now it had been almost two weeks since I came back. I was so busy with recruiting I had yet to met Bell, but from sensing his aura I knew he was fine. I was currently sitting on the second floor balcony of "Cafe Wishe", a popular coffee shop near my home, trying to spot some promising young guys who wouldn't mind being part of my familia.

Gulp. Gulp. Gulp…

"Fuah!" I had finished my eighth cup of coffee by now. What? To my defense, it was really good coffee!

It was pretty dejecting trying to collect members. Despite the fact that I was now wealthy, not many people were willing to risk joining my familia, instead hoping to join the larger, well known ones. My only hope was to try to recruit on a one on one basis.

...

…..

…..

Oh?! Someone caught my eye. It was a young man, maybe around 18, who had a solid build, with an average looking face accompanied by black hair. Sure, he didn't look like much, but his aura was way out of wack from everyone else. Maybe it was worth recruiting him?

Since there was a large crowd and I wasn't willing to lose track of him, I decided on the more direct route, and lept straight down, aiming for his back.

Oomph. Instead of his back, it seemed I had stomped directly down on his head, knocking him straight onto the floor. Oops…

He got up quickly, turning around and glaring at me.

Uehhh, please don't look at me like that.

Without any care, I kneeled down on the ground before him, pushing my head directly to the ground.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry! But please… join my familia?!"

He looked a bit taken aback at my sudden prostration.

"Rather than apologizing, how about you give me a proper explanation. What are you doing?"

"I'm a goddess! I was just hoping to collect you for my familia…"

"Never seen you before. In consideration of that, I refuse."

"What?! I mean, I'll give you a signing bonus of 50 million valis?" I clung to his body like a koala, my chests pressing against his face.

"Get off me you little…" Pushing me off him with a noticeable blush, he looked at me, sizing me up.

"If you'll really give me the 50 million valis, I'll join your familia, whatever that is."

Yes! At last! Two weeks of searching bore fruit!

"Speaking of which, what's your name? I'm Kaito by the way."

...


	4. Chapter 4 - Date

Authors note: I'm not very happy with how this turned out, but it'll work out in the end… I hope.

...

At the end of all my troubles, the only familia member I managed to get was Kaito, an average looking guy who had no combat experience to speak of. I was currently lying on the bedroom in my new mansion, looking at the tattoo on the back of the shirtless Kaito he received due to my blessing.

**Kaito **

Level One

Strength: I-0

Defense: I-0

Utility: I-0

Agility: I-0

Magic: I-0

Skills: None

The stats being zero were expected, but I was pretty sure such a strong soul had to have at least one special skill. What a disappointment...

What's worse, he was completely useless around the house. He refused to do any chores and didn't know how to cook either, so I was basically reduced to a housemaid that looked after him.

Ugh! I was fuming just thinking about it. Not only that, I would also have to spend money to hire maids if I wanted to keep the mansion maintained properly.

"So, are you done yet? After this, I'll go take a bath while you can start making dinner. Also, you'll need to pay for my armor and weapons if you want me to start dungeon diving for you."

"Y-you! I'm supposed to be the one in charge here!" I angrily retorted, but despite my outrage, he just smirked at me.

"If you still want to keep me in your familia, you'd better get started. You're a no-name, completely alone goddess. If I leave, you'll have nobody left but yourself.

He was right. I guess should put up with it a little longer…

"Oh right, for tonight, I want teriyaki chicken and udon. If we don't have any sake left, go buy some. I want the black label brand."

"Yes…" I dejectedly walked out of the room.

...

"Hm?" I tiredly sat up in bed, groggily using my power to draw aside the curtains while in bed, revealing Orario in all its beauty. It had been a couple of days since we became acquainted with each other. Despite his arrogant shell, Kaito's actual personality was respectable.

Deciding it was late enough, I started shaking Kaito back and forth, trying to wake him up. We would be shopping for armor and weapons today.

"Morning". He slowly got up, pulling the sheets away.

"So, we'll be heading to the Tower of Babel's weapon shop today?" He asked me while stretching.

"...How about we have this talk later, okay?"

"Aw, were you embarrassed cause I'm not wearing anything? We just slept in the same bed last night, you know?" He teased me, making me blush deeper.

"I-I know. Don't remind me." There was only one bed as the mansion had almost no furniture when I bought it.

"A-anyways, I'm heading downstairs." Unable to stand the awkward atmosphere, I hurried away to start breakfast.

...

Kaito and I were currently headed to the upper levels of Babel. He knew where most the shops were located, considering he had been a resident of Orario his whole life.

"There are facilities for adventurers to use, as well as money exchanges, but more importantly, the guild rents out space to shops, and that's where we're headed today."

Nodding along, I acted properly amazed and trailed after him.

"The Hephaestus familia sells high-quality weapons and equipment, so that's where we'll be headed for today."

Oh? He suddenly took my hand, dragging to some sort of an elevator powered by magic stones.

"We're here. Stand right here"

"O-okay…"

We head onto a circular pedestal, and Kaito touches a button, causing us to start floating upwards immediately.

"Ah!"

I fell to my butt on the floor, caught off guard, while Kaito just reached his hand out, pulling me up while snickering.

"You seem so weak and unreliable it's hard to believe you're even a goddess.

"...Please shut it. You're totally rotten."

The pedestal started decelerating, before coming to a stop on the fourth floor. It was huge, with glass displays of equipment while the red and gold carpet lining the floors gave it a majestic feel.

"Stop gawking, already. Follow me, I know exactly what equipment I want to buy."

He drags me by the hand towards the entrance to one of the shops.

A shop attendant comes to greet us, and Kaito motions to her, indicating he wanted her to come along while dragging me towards a selection of very expensive looking swords.

"Yeah, we'll take this one. Huh? No, I won't be paying for it."

He gestured to me.

"She'll be paying for everything today."

Yeah, I expected this already, but then my eyes caught the price tag:

50,000,000 valis.

"W-what? The price is unbelievable. You could buy a house with that kind of money!"

"Ahh, in that case, you're saying you can't afford to keep me in your familia?."

What? Not this again.

"Fine! Here!" With an unpleasant feeling in my heart, I handed him the gold card that had hundreds of millions of valis.

...

We had been shopping for quite a while now. I trailed after him dejectedly. Kaito seemed to choose only the most expensive mithril items made for high-level adventurers, costing me another 100 million valis. The only thing I chose to buy was some armor and a large pouch. At this rate, I would go broke before he was done with me...

We were heading towards the elevator that would lead us back down. Kaito had forced me to carry all his new items like I was his servant.

"Hey, isn't that Myu?" I felt a familiar female voice call out to someone.

Oh, Eina and Bell were here too!

Excited to see them, I dropped my bags before hurriedly running over, leaping straight at Bell.

Being near cute Bell was way better than Kaito~.

I was suddenly dragged back by my collar.

Noticing a new face for the first time, Bell looked at the guy behind me.

"Who are you?" He looked displeased at Kaitos's presence.

"What do you think? I'm her boyfriend. Not a bad catch, right?"

What was that? He was my underling, not a friend!

"Y-you idiot! Don't go spouting nonsense like that to Bell! That part doesn't even matter!"

"Mmmph… you don't have to be _that _forceful about denying it."

"N-never mind that, Kaito, let's go home already." I couldn't stand this. He kept trying to embarrass me in public.

I waved goodbye to Bell, who seemed dispirited by something, but he managed to smile at us as we descended to the main entrance. Oh right, I forgot to gift Bell the armor I purchased for him, but I could do that later today.

...

It was pretty late now, almost nine in the evening. Since I had created a familia with one member, I had just made a trip to the guild and completed some paperwork, as well as pay my annual fees for registering with the guild.

Instead of heading back to my mansion next to the Apollo familia, I decided to surprise Bell and Hestia with a visit, making sure not to forget armor I intended to gift Bell.

I smiled while giddily running down the side path that led to Hestia's church, excited to gift Bell my present I had purchased earlier in the day.

Heading inside, already familiar with the route, I quickly walked over to the alter and descended into the lower floor that Bell and Hestia lived in.

"Bell~, I'm home!"

...

It was a bit past eleven at night.

Hestia had filled Bell in on all the small details about me being a goddess, but she was currently out drinking, so it was just Bell and I inside the church. Spreading out a cloth on the small table next to the couch, I opened up the containers of food and beverages I had brought.

"So, Bell, what were you doing with Eina earlier today? Just buying equipment?" I gave him a suspicious look.

"Uh… yes, that was it." Bell was already sweating at my intense gaze.

"Hehe whatever! Anyways, you don't need to put your guard up around me. Now, let's start drinking!"

I opened up the cooler I had purchased from the tower. It was run entirely using magic stones, which could be changed once depleted.

"Let's go with this one first." Floating the beer up in the air, I easily twisted the bottle cap off and poured it in the glass in front of me. Bell got the non alcoholic version, since he didn't want alcohol this late at night.

"Okay, Bell, I'll give us a toast."

"Huh? For what?"

"For my new familia that was finally established!" I exclaimed while grinning happily.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers…" Bell half heartedly clinked his glass to mine.

"Myu," Bell suddenly said. "Was that guy who was making you carry around all that equipment your familia member?"

"Yes…?"

"Are you sure adding him was a right choice? He seems a little off …"

"Eh?"

"I mean, he was dragging you around the shops and treating you as a servant, wasn't he?"

"Um, yeah, his personality is pretty rotten"

I unintentionally shot back at his comment. Well, I definitely did agree with him, but Kaito was reliable... right?

I felt guilty for talking behind Kaito's back like this. Deciding steer the conversation towards safer territory, I brought out a perfectly wrapped piece of gear and handed it to Bell.

"Oh, right. Since to celebrate today, I got a little gift for you… See? A brand new back plate to compliment the armor you currently have." I pulled out the first class armor I had purchased on the upper floors of Babel.

Bell's eyes grew large at the sight of the sight of the mithril plate, which looked pretty sleek and polished.

"M-mithril? How?"

"I purchased it from the Hephaestus familia earlier."

"Wow... Thank you Myu!"

"No problem. You can repay me by letting me sleep with you for tonight." I grinned at him.

"...You won't do anything weird to me, right?"

"Ahh. No, nothing like you're thinking."

...

Many hours later, Miach dragged a drunk Hestia home, carrying her downstairs towards the living room.

"..."

"Bell's asleep… and Myu's with him, huh? Well, so be it. Hestia will have to go on the couch then." He muttered indifferently before leaving the building.

...

"Oh...my head…." Hestia groaned, beside me, as Bell did his best to feed her some slices of apple.

As Hestia had come home drunk, Bell decided to stay with her for today in order to help with her recovery.

"Why are you here again? Didn't you already go ahead and buy that fancy mansion?" Turning away from Bell, she noticed me sitting on the bed for the first time.

"What, I can't spend time with Bell?" I asked innocently.

"He's mine! Besides, don't you already have someone already?"

"You're very mean. All I have is wholehearted devotion for Bell. I would never abandon him."

"Ahh, you're so annoying! Stop with that attitude! Can't you tell Bell likes gentle and energetic girls? Besides…" She gestured to my chest. "Aren't you a bit lacking?"

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm way cuter than you… right Bell?"

"W-why are you asking me?"

"You know why!"

Unable to meet my gaze, Bell had to avert his eyes.

"..uu..uuu y-yeah, I guess…"

"Pffft. Hear that? Bell clearly likes me better!"

"Ugh… Ughhhhh…!" Each word I said seemed to pierce deep into Hestia's chest. She's clearly upset at Bell, even though I'm technically to blame for this.

Deciding Hestia had enough teasing, I hastily changed the topic of our conversation.

"Umm… So, Bell. You went out to eat last night with that supporter?" I asked. "You didn't even tell me!"

"Yeah… it was nice."

"Getting to eat all that delicious food, just you and your supporter… I'm very jealous..." Hestia butted in, looking at Bell hopefully.

Bell sat there for a moment, looking like he was struggling with something.

"H-how about we go, just the three of us, to eat an extravagant dinner? I've gotten a lot of money from the dungeon yesterday…. And um, I wanted to thank you, so… once Hestia's feeling better, we can go?"

"Let's go today!"

"...What?"

"I feel much better already! How about armor square at six?"

...

"What are you doing here?" Hestia glared at me.

"Bell invited both of us. What did you think? That he asked only you? Besides, it'll be more fun as a group."

Right now, we were sitting on a bench next to the giant statue of a goddess, looking up at the sunset. I was wearing a comfortable gray sweater while waiting for Bell's arrival, while Hestia had opted for simple white shirt. Seeing all the couples around here, I could feel the tips of my ears burning. It was like I was waiting for a suitor.

"Oh, he's here."

Walking around the corner, Bell slowly came into view. He was wearing a normal brown jacket, but it didn't take away from the nice relaxed atmosphere.

"Bell!" Hestia lept to her feet ran up to him, clutching his arm with both hands.

I trailed behind them, grinning happily to myself. Despite how Hestia treated me, it really felt like we had grown close since I came down to Orario.

We had selected the Hostess of Fertility as our restaurant of choice. The food was pretty good, and it was within easy walking distance. Within a few minutes, the familiar sight of the pub came into view.

"Welcome" The pretty face of Ryuu greated us. She was one of the many waitresses that worked here. Despite her supposed high level, she looked quite young.

"Bell, it seems like you brought your entire familia here, huh?" She gestured towards an empty table. "Please be seated."

I was handed a menu that had a variety of dishes written on it. After taking a look, I decided to opt for the minced meat cutlet, while Bell and Hestia both decided on ginger pork with rice.

Taking a look around, I noticed the bar was quite crowded, as usual. I could spot some gods and their familia eating at some of the tables, but the Loki familia wasn't here today.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

With surprising grace, Ryuu placed down our orders of food in front of us, as well as bowls of white rice.

On the plates were thinly sliced grilled meat that was garnished with vegetables and savory sauce.

I found myself gulping at the rich scent of grilled meat. Without further ado, I picked up my cutlery and dug in. The combination of juicy meat and plain rice created a nice sort of balance together, with flavour oozing out of each bite. Before I knew it, I had finished the meal.

"Mmm…"

I swallowed a sip of water with a satisfied moan. Hestia and Bell were still eating their food. With nothing much to do, I decided to lean back and listen to the conversation of the adventurers around us.

The calming murmur of the bar along with the warm lights created a really cozy kind of atmosphere. I was almost about to doze off, but the sound of my name shook me out of my reverie.

"Hey, Myu's eating right there, see?" What? Who was that? His voice wasn't familiar at all. I ducked my head out of embarrassment.

"Who's she?"

"Apparently she's some super rich god that recently descended. Apollo told me she bought that overpriced mansion he was trying to get rid of."

"Yeah, that's definitely her. She's that young one with the silver hair"

"So the rumours were true. The new goddess really is cute! I so want a proper girlfriend like her!"

"You might as well give up. She next to that kid, see?"

I can hear envious voices around me. The fact that they seemed to think I was together with Bell made me feel warm inside. I kind of hoped it was real. Gaining a quick burst of confidence, I decided to ask Bell about something that had been bothering me for a while.

"Hey, Bell."

"Mm? What is it Myu?"

"Is there someone that you like right now? In the romantic sense?" Hestia leaned in upon hearing my words, suddenly interested.

"Hm? Why are you asking?"

"Um, I'm just curious, that's all." I shakily smiled at him, unable to meet his eyes. Damn it! I could feel a blush forming already.

"Um, I really look up to Ais I guess, well… kinda… yes." Bell smiled while scratching his head.

"So you have a thing for Wallenstein?"

"Ah, n-no, I mean… she's incredibly strong and the day she saved me I was incredibly moved… so I respect her a lot. " Bell stammers out in response to my sudden question.

"Sure she's incredible, but at the end of the day isn't she just a normal human adventurer?"

"Well yeah, but right now I really admire her, and… No! What I mean to say is that I really think I'm in love with her!" Bell suddenly blurts out.

The moment Bell uttered the last few sentences, my shoulders twitched.

"Hey, Myu, where should we d… Myu?"

"Hmpfh."

Puffing my cheeks out, I looked away. I could feel tears building up at the corner of my eyes.

"Myu?"

"So you've been trying to wrack up the courage in order to try and confess to Ais, of all people, hmm?"

"I-I guess so...Eh? What are you so mad about?"

"This is the first time in your life that you had a crush on someone, huh? The first time you seriously liked a girl?"

"W-what's wrong?"

"I see, so you only see strong, mature beauties like Ais as girls, huh?"

"No that's really not it… "

"Ah, is that so?."

"Wait Myu... hey, where are you going? You forgot your bag!"

"Just keep it and give it back to me later!"

Forcing Bell to pay for my food, I completely ignored his words and stomped out of the restaurant.

"Bell, you idiooooot!"

...


	5. Chapter 5 - Exploring the dungeon

'Goddess, I'm home!'

A familiar voice jolted me out of my half conscious state. It was getting late, almost 9 at night, but Kaito had finally come home from the dungeon. Perhaps it was due to the terrible posture I had laid in, but my body felt stiff all over. Yawning, I slowly got up from the bed on the second floor and made my way downstairs.

"I'm hungry." Kaito greeted me in the kitchen. "I feel like omelet rice today."

"But it's too much trouble… can't you just go buy something from a diner?"

"I'm sorry, what was that?" He challenged with an expectant voice, causing me to look down and chew my lips. I sighed before shrugging, it wouldn't be too much trouble to make I guess. Kaito skidded off upstairs like a happy child while I started getting out the ingredients I needed to prepare the meal.

After a brief wait, I came back to Kaito with the meal on a platter, setting it on the table in front of him. He dug in enthusiastically.

I scrunched my nose up as I watched him eat, trying my hardest to look unbothered by what was in my mind. Shifting around nervously, I summoned the remnants of my courage.

"U-um I'm feeling kinda sore. Can you give me a massage after you're done?..." I drew back and finally found my voice, quiet as it was. Kaito had made the offer many times, but this was the first time I would take him up on it.

"Is that so? You're finally interested?" Kaito gave an elaborate grin. "Since you asked so nicely, I guess I'll have to give it to you. There was a hidden meaning in his voice as his smile turned sharper.

I went rather rigid, looking away to avoid eye contact. Since I had asked him, I wouldn't back down this time...

While waiting for him to finish his food, I walked up the staircase and into the bedroom, picking a random book from the shelf and plopping down onto the soft mattress. I had never been the type to find history entertaining, but the city of Orario was rich with lore and was fun to read about.

"Haah…" I let out a sigh, thinking about Bell's crush on Ais. I found myself scowling at the idea. He was so cute I wanted to keep him all for myself. Someone with a godly aura like him should never end up with a mortal.

With such feelings nestled within my heart, I paused my reading. It was getting pretty late now. I probably should just go to bed…

"Myu?" Suddenly the doors to the bedroom opened and Kaito walked in, his eyes perfectly glistening. Was he really looking forward to being my masseur for the day?

Not needing words, I stumbled towards the bed and fell facedown into the sheets, my back arching expectantly. This would be a nice experience, wouldn't it? I could have someone knead out the kinks and sores of my body.

I felt fingers start kneading my back, and the soreness was starting to fade away.

Ahhhh. That felt pretty nice… Wait.

"What's wrong?" Kaito let a little amusement slip into his voice, pushing his hands harder into my back.

"Stop... It hurts! Ouch ouch ouch! Stop pushing your fingers in there so harrrrd!"

"Just shut up and bear with it for a minute."

"Uahhh, you're so mean…" I mumbled quietly, but gave up, submitting to my fate.

But he was right. Eventually, I relaxed into it, enjoying the motions of his hands kneading my body.

This was nice. Spending some time like this would do wonders for the stress that accumulated inside of me. I shifted around awkwardly in an attempt to get more comfortable. "How was the dungeon diving today?" I asked Kaito with my eyes closed tightly in pleasure.

"Oh, It went fine." He quipped as he continued the motions of his hands.

Despite being level one, with my blessing, Kaito was able to solo the dungeon without much trouble. Admittedly, the absurdly powerful armor and weapons helped him a great deal, but it didn't hide the fact that he was a quick learner… as well as a talented masseur.

By now my entire body felt like water and twitched erratically in pleasure each time he hit a sensitive spot. This felt like heaven...

"Haaaaaa…" I should really ask him to do this more often. I think I've gotten addicted already...

...

"...Wait, don't stop yet?" I whined as the pleasurable feeling suddenly left my back.

"My arms are already sore. Can't you be more considerate of my well-being too?

O-oh. Had it already been that long? "I'm sorry…" I murmured apologetically. Kaito had taken a seat in the armchair looking rather tired as he propped up his face with an arm. I felt a pang of guilt assault me.

"Whatever. Just hurry up and update my status already."

"Uh - yes." I stated while awkwardly trying to get up. My arms shook erratically, and I felt like my body was a total mess. Getting up myself seemed to be too tall a task after that.

"...Help me?" I looked at him with an embarrassed smile.

He studied me for a moment, eyeing all the wrong places for a little bit too long. My blush must have been evident by now. He must have thought I was such an unreliable god...

Suddenly, he took both my arms and pulled me roughly onto my feet. The room was quiet for a second, but the silence was quickly filled by Kaito's chuckle. I let him lean over me. He rested his chin on my forehead, making me shiver.

"I'm curious… you don't act like a god at all... You seem awfully submissive right now." He grasped my hand, rubbing it with his thumb in soothing circles. "You like it when someone takes care of you, don't you?"

"You don't need to be so blunt about it..." I groaned, still blushing. My voice had no authority at all, it came off as timid and shy,

Deciding not to embarass myself further, I my eyes tightly and pricked my index finger with a pin, before slipping my hands under Kaitos shirt towards the falna tattoo printed on his back.

A person's abilities rise when the blood of a god is used on their familia symbol, known as a falna. The more monsters are slain, the faster the person's stats rise up, which allows them to become stronger.

Gods could also read the falna in order to check the stats of one of their familia members.

**Kaito **

Level One

Strength: I-12 → H-190

Defense: I-15 → I-30

Utility: I-15 → H-190

Agility: I-90 → H-226

Magic: I-0 → I-0

Skills: None

"Wow, not bad for your first couple days."

I felt an incredible amount of pride in Kaito's growth. If he could become a first-class adventurer, it would make our familia a very well respected one. Maybe Bell would look up to me just like how he looked up to Ais!

"You really think so?" Kaito grinned at me.

"Yeah, but don't get too arrogant just yet. You really should ask to join someone else's party, so you guys support one another. Maybe you could join someone elses group?"

"That's true, but still..."

"It's settled then! You won't be a solo adventurer starting tomorrow!" Still reeling from how I was treated earlier, I left no room for rebuttal.

I knew personally how dangerous the dungeon could get, so having someone trustworthy like Bell with him would ease my worries a lot. I knew a companion could complement and assist him while adventuring.

Grumbling, Kaito got up to leave for his room which was one across from mine. Before he could get too far, I managed to grab his hand.

"Um, can you stay for tonight? I just sleep better with your presence near me..." I half heartedly called after him. I'm sure I looked fragile, like a young girl asking out her crush, but for some reason, I didn't care.

"Oh, really?" He looked straight at me, his eyes glistening. He took a step closer, trying to process the look in my eyes.

"D-don't look at me like that! It's not what it sounds like!" I stammered in embarrassment. It wasn't like I really wanted him near that much anyways! I turned away with a pout, secretly praying he would humour my request.

He did.

Relieved, my head fell limply down onto one of the many fuffy pillows. Clumsily feeling around in the dark, I managed to grab his hand in mine, before falling asleep quietly.

...

It was a mildly cool morning. Normally I would have stayed in bed until early afternoon, but today was different. A clean scent smelling of soap tickled my nose, while my shoulders were being softly shaken.

"...Goddess….. Wake up."

I felt so comfortable I couldn't bear to open my eyes. Turning away tiredly, I rolled to the opposite end of the bed, clinging tightly to whatever was in my arms. There was a surprised grunt, but the shaking stopped.

"...What the hell are you doing?"

"Eh?" I opened my eyes. Plain black hair and brown eyes stared up at me. It seemed like I had accidentally ended up on top of Kaito. A blush formed on my face as I hurriedly got off.

"You've finally woken up, Goddess."

His teasing voice fully roused me from my half asleep state. I guess since we live together, it's okay to share the same bed after all. But waking up with Kaito still here was indeed a rare occasion, since he was normally long gone when I got up.

"... I guess I'll start breakfast."

Kaito never seemed to take the initiative, and I had time, so I was responsible for all the chores around the house. I personally enjoyed cooking for myself, so I had no issues making a larger portion.

I hummed as I walked downstairs and began the process of preparing breakfast.

Kaito was making good progress in the dungeon, but adventuring was dangerous by itself and the risk grew exponentially as you went deeper into the dungeon. With such thoughts in mind, I asked him the question that had been on my mind for a while.

"Why don't you take me with you into the dungeon today?"

...

"...Are you sure it's safe for you to enter?"

"Hmm? Oh, the last time a high level monster spawned and nearly killed me, but I'm being more careful this time, so it should be fine?"

"What?! Did you at least check with the other gods before coming in here?" Kaito suddenly stopped in his tracks and held me by my arm, preventing me from heading towards the dungeon entrance.

"Hey, wait! I'll promise to keep a low profile inside if that makes you feel better…"

"No! No! None of this! You! Get her out of here!" He shouted at one of the adventurers, desperately trying to wave him over.

"You traitor! Trying to get me in troub-... grr, that's not the point! I actually did get Ouranos' permission! He even gave me this. See?" I huffed in irritation, showing him the choker that was around my neck.

Ever since the dungeon had tried to kill me with a juggernaut, I realized I had to mask my presence somehow. Using my connection with Ouranos, I had him give me a seal that fooled the dungeon into thinking I was just a mortal.

"Oh wow, you really went through all that trouble just for this? It might not be a bad idea then. It'd be like having an overpowered supporter."

"Yeah, that's right! Whatever you desire of me, I'll do my best to satisfy!" Shouting happily, I dragged Kaito with me down towards the entrance of the dungeon.

"Hey Myu…" He slows down suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just that… I never really was this close to someone back then, so when I think about how you're with me now, it makes me happy…" He suddenly tells me.

"Wha?" Caught completely off guard, I could only stare at him. After living with Kaito for a while, I knew it was unlike him to be so sappy… was it because he finally had someone join his party? He was usually lazy, annoying and unpleasantly domineering, but the small moments where he seemed so vulnerable made me feel all warm inside.

"...O-oh, yeah, hahah." Not knowing how to respond, I could only laugh awkwardly.

"I'm glad… that you're worried enough to come with me today." He smiles as he starts walking towards the dungeon entrance.

I trailed after him, unable to raise my head due to embarrassment. Was it really that obvious? ….It was no use thinking about this now! A mixture of exhilaration and fear flowed into me as I looked down towards the 10 meter hole that led straight into the dungeon.

...

The sound of metal clanging against metal reverberated in the air as Kaito cut through the armored goblins like nothing, leaving dust in his wake. Not giving him any time to relax, howls filled with killing intent appeared from his right as more monsters spawned from the dungeon walls.

Eager to prove myself, I turned towards the group of monsters, focusing slightly.

"Die."

A thick beam of air pierced through the group of Kobolds that were heading towards Kaito, killing them all instantly. Too lazy to pick them up their loot by hand, the dropped stones began levitating and were directed into my pouch that was now overflowing with loot.

"...You know you could have left some to me, right?"

Kaito's bored expression showed he had much more up his sleeve. He was probably right, since he was standing there without a single drop of sweat or any indication of exhaustion.

"Um, okay. I guess we should go deeper if everything on this floor is no problem for you."

Kaito looked surprised at my suggestion, but wordlessly agreeing, he moved forwards, heading towards the grass plain and wider corridors that led us deeper into the dungeon.

The next two floors proved no challenge for Kaito. He cut down swaths of monsters without a problem using his mithril sword, while I faithfully supported him from behind and collected the dropped magic stones. Before I knew it, the close walls of the dungeon gave way to a large room filled with morning mist; we had finally arrived at the tenth floor, the area where stronger mobs such as infant dragons and orcs could be found. According to Kaito, this floor was the perfect grinding spot for lower level adventurers despite being extremely dangerous.

"Oh…!" I let out a yelp of surprise as an imp jumped out at me through the mist. The low visibility made it hard to prepare for ambushes, so I was totally caught off guard.

"Watch it." Kaito sliced it in half before it could touch me, the imp disintegrating into dust right in front of my eyes.

"Wahh! Scary… this floor is scary!"

"Hey, stop clinging to me like that! I can't focus with you on my back."

"O-oh, sorry."

A-anyways, even as we continuously marched forwards, Kaito led me with that stoic face of his. Wasn't he out of his comfort zone here? Or, was he just good at maintaining a poker face? He gave off a confident aura that made it seem like he was an infallible pillar that supported those around him.

Our plan was pretty simple. He would roam around hunting the monsters while I acted as support in case he was caught off guard. Thanks to the guild, we had a good idea of what we would be up against; mostly orcs and the occasional young dragon.

The only problem was that it was getting late, and by now I was tired of walking around.

"How long till we can go home? I'm tired already…"

"Just bear with it for a bit longer. It already took us hours to get down here." He gave me an exasperated look. "If you can't handle this much, just stay home."

I sighed and trailed after him dejectedly. As we headed deeper into the tenth floor, the scenery shifted into an eerie mess. The white grass was stained with bright red blood and the dead bodies of three adventurers, their bodies bent at odd angles.

"Ugh.. what happened here?" Kaito stopped in his tracks and began inspecting the scene. "The blood is still drying. They must have been killed recently."

Looking at the corpses, I could only assume it was the work of monsters. "I-I guess the orcs got to them?" More than a little unsettled, I shivered.

Suddenly, from a close distance came a sharp screeching roar.

"Wahhh!" My heart lept into my throat. "Kaito! I'm scarreeeed!'

"Shut up and just get behind me."

The mist parted to reveal an orc. It's size and stature were similar to any ordinary one, but its skin was completely black. Paying no mind to Kaito who was in front of me, it stared at me with sinister glowing eyes. From the looks of this one, it seemed to be much more dangerous than the other monsters around here.

Kaito tried swinging at it, but his strike was easily slapped away. Instead of following up on its swing, the orc completely ignored him, instead approaching me slowly, like I was cornered prey.

Too quick for me to react, it swung its club at me.

"Hey, watch out!" Kaito dived in front of me, taking the blunt of the blast. The force of it was enough to send him tumbling meters away and out of my sight.

Without even the slightest amount of hesitation, it swung again, this time its blow connecting with my side. The force of it was enough to cause me tumbling away a fair distance.

"Ouch…"

It didn't really hurt that much, but in any case I decided to intervene before things got worse. Thankfully, the suppression collar Ouranos gave me made it much easier to use more of my powers without the dungeon noticing something was wrong. Holding out my right arm, magic began accumulating in the air in front of my hand.

"Umph!" Deciding it was enough, a massive beam of white light shot out from my hand, and like a giant tidal wave, it singled out the orc and smashed unrelenting into it.

The light faded, and a large magic stone dropped into the smoldering crater my blast had created.

Internally pleased with myself, I walked over and stuffed it into my pouch. Turning around to face Kait-.

"Crap…" I couldn't find him.

"Kaito! Kaito! Where are you? I'm scared…" I hugged my chest in a desperate attempt to reassure myself. I had a terrible sense of direction and wasn't sure how to find him.

"Kaito?"

"..."

"Kaito?"

"I'm right here."

"Oh!" Greatly relieved, I ran forward and took his hand in mine. This way it would be much harder for us to get separated.

"What happened to that monster?"

"Uh, I killed it."

"Wh… What?! Impossible. There's no way someone as useless as you would know how to deal with that. Just admit already that you ran away."

"You're wrong! I'm actually one of the supreme gods on pair with the likes of Gaia and Ouranos!" I puffed my chest out proudly.

Kaito didn't seem convinced, but at this point I didn't care. I was sore all over from walking and covered in all sorts of monster blood.

With stiff movements resembling that of a long forgotten, unoiled robot, I looked hopefully at Kaito, putting all my hope into my next question.

"Can we go back now?"

...

The dungeon was quite big, so just getting out could take hours if not efficient enough. We were halfway through the long and arduous process of heading back up when two figures came into view.

"Someone's there." I purposely bumped into Kaito, pointing at the two adventurers who were… sitting on the dungeon floor? One of them was Ais, the famous Loki familia member with her blonde hair long enough to frame her face.

The other adventurer was lying down, as if sleeping. His face wore a serene expression as he laid on Ais' lap. Wait… was that Bell?! Why was he sleeping in the middle of the dungeon? My suspicions grew with each second.

Bell was unmoving and in his casual outfit. What if Ais had knocked him out and brought him down here for some nefarious purpose?

"What are you doing to him?" Running over, I thoroughly inspected Bell while looking at Ais suspiciously.

She just turned to stare at me, confused.

"She's hasn't done anything. Look, he's not hurt at all, and Ais is a respectable first class adventurer. They can take care of themselves." Kaito covered for her.

"Ehhhh…really?" I guess I really had jumped to conclusions. But...

I felt a warm hand in my hair as I was mulling. I looked up at Kaito. Was he petting me? My cheeks flushed.

"My goddess and I will leave you to it, you two enjoy yourselves." He spoke as if he wasn't just patting me like a stray cat. Not sparing a glance back, he started walking away.

Scared of being lost in the dungeon again, I hurried after him.

"You looked quite disappointed when you saw Ais give Bell a lap pillow." Kaito said, turning around, looking smug. "Could it be that you wanted him for yourself?" He spoke as if this was something extremely scandalous. "Or maybe... is it me?"

Why was he suddenly bringing this up? My heart gave a squeeze and I felt myself flush to the tips of my ears. I just wanted to just stare at the ground and ignore his last few comments.

"Get off it Kaito-" I looked like a tomato at this point, my strides getting longer to escape him. I desperately wanted to change the topic but my brain was short circuiting. "I respect Bell too much to let him fall into some mortals hands-"

"What's with your obsession over that boy?" Suddenly angry, Kaito yanked my collar back, pinning me to a wall. Eh? I was so confused I could barely register what was going on.

"What about me? I know how you look at me sometimes." His arms held locked both my wrists in place, while his face was animated by a cheshire grin. He looked as if he was ready to sink his teeth into my neck.

"Let go!" I scowled, struggling, but my efforts stopped after realizing he was physically much stronger than me. My expression switched from defiant to worried. He had me trapped. I trusted him not to do anything too bad, but I was feeling vulnerable and hated it.

Kaito's expression grew softer. "Don't look at me like that." He hesitated, but eventually allowed his arms to fall away. Taking advantage, I pushed myself out from under him and huffed while looking away, showing my displeasure.

"You're not getting your status updated today!"

"...Myu!"

"Hmph!"

…

After getting home, I took a bath and went straight into my room, stripping out of my pants and crawling into bed. I could feel all the stress from today just melting off me.

The way Kaito had treated me in the dungeon really made me feel depressed. He treated me so lightly he probably didn't even think of me as a real goddess.

I never thought he would have seen me as such a weakling to push me around the way he did. I didn't know whatever process he went through that made him so sadistic, but all I knew was that he saw my displeasure as a form of entertainment.

The way he looked at me after I responded made me feel like a child. I probably seemed pathetic, like a kid throwing a tantrum when told him I wouldn't update his status before ignoring him the rest of the way back.

I was so absorbed in my self depreciating thoughts that I didn't hear the sound of steps coming up the stairs. Before I could mentally brace myself, Kaito walked into my room, his genuine smile catching me off guard. I rolled over, facing away from him.

I still wasn't prepared to face him.

"Still mad at me huh?" He said, pacing around before sitting on the bed himself. "I never meant to force you like that." He chuckled, amused by my childlike behavior. He eyed me up and down, finally noticing my state of dress. In my pursuit to get comfortable, I only had panties and a thin shirt on. I suddenly was very aware of the fact that I had never shown this much skin in front of someone before.

"I think that look suits you, Myu." Kaito teased, eyeing my bare legs.

"I can wear whatever I want. I own this place." Instead of defiant, I ended up mumbling the last few words. I really tried not to care what he thought of me, but I couldn't hide my true feelings from myself.

"Aren't you going to answer my question?"

"Huh?"

"Do you want me or not?" Kaito asked.

I groaned, turning my back to him, stuffing my face into the pillow. If I pretended I didn't hear him, maybe he wouldn't press further.

Kaito reached over and grabbed my thigh, pinching sharply.

I gasped, turning to glare at him sharply. He just cocked a brow, seemingly amused by my reaction, but I could swear his cheeks looked a little more red than usual. That alone let my anger dissipate in an instant.

"Take off your shirt." Trying to change the topic, I decided to update his status after all.

"What?" Kaito took a deep breath.

I hummed, urging him to go on, looking anywhere but at him.

"I-I've decided to update your status before bed I guess. Just take it off and let me see your back."

"...Oh."

He seemed disappointed, but did as I asked, revealing a well maintained body. My cheeks turned a soft pink as I took a step closer, going through the now familiar motions of letting a drop of blood fall on his back, revealing his stats.

**Kaito **

Level One

Strength: H-190 → F-450

Defense: I-30 → H-180

Utility: H-190 → H-192

Agility: H-226 → F-400

Magic: I-0 → I-0

Well, he certainly seemed to be growing extremely fast. It certainly explained why he was willing to go to the tenth floor of the dungeon so quickly. Against all odds, Kaito seemed to be a hidden gem that I managed to pick up. The only problem was that he still didn't seem to develop any magic yet…

"How is it?"

"Good." I give him my sincere reply, showing him the stats that I had imbued onto a piece of parchment.

Kaito was basically the perfect familia member, with the only thing he lacked being magic. Most people developed it on their own, but I vaguely remembered the tower of Babel selling some pricey grimoires…


End file.
